Fleeing Grace
by angelfan86
Summary: "Drug market. Sub market. Sometimes I wonder why I ever got in." Graverobber. A look at the why of our friendly neighborhood Graverobber. Why he got in. What makes him tick. And what happens next? Probable eventual Grilo.
1. Why I Ever Got In

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera, or Graverobber (unfortunately). I reap no profit from this effort. It is written purely for my own amusement and the satisfaction of my muses.

**Author's Note: **This is my first fanfic for Repo! The Genetic Opera. It is my current addiction. If it is possible to be addicted to a movie character, then I am most definitely addicted to Graverobber. This story is highly Graverobber centric. It is my attempt to get inside his mysterious and oh so intriguing mind. The first two chapters take place within the movie. They are my interpretation of what the enigmatic one was thinking. It is also my theory of what made him the Graverobber we all know and love. Ok, enough chit chat. On with the show!

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"Drug market. Sub-market. Sometimes I wonder why I ever got in_." _He crooned. But he did know. He knew all too well why he got in. His baby sister's face flashed through his mind.

"_Make the pain go away." she pleaded. "Please. Just make it stop." Tears streamed down her face._

_He knelt beside her bed and grasped her hands to keep her from clawing at the severely infected wound in her stomach. "Shhh." He whispered in her ear. "It's gonna be alright." He wasn't about to tell her they were out of morphine. Not until he had an alternative._

Graverobber pushed the memory out of his head. He wouldn't think of his sister. Not tonight. He had other things that were more pressing. Like the kid he had stumbled across and haphazardly thrown into his world. He grinned and held up the glowing vial. "Zydrate comes in a little glass vial."

"A little glass vial?" The kid looked at him with wide eyes.

"A little glass vial!" His junkies chorused.

"And the little glass vial goes into the gun like a battery." The junkies and scalpel sluts pressed in close to him. Like devoted followers. _More like stray dogs. _He thought bitterly. "And the zydrate gun goes somewhere against your anatomy." _Stray dogs who will do anything for a hit. They'll as soon bite the hand that feeds them._ "And when the gun goes off, it sparks and you're ready for surgery!"

The fact that these scalpel sluts were so hungry to be drugged and cut on left a bitter taste in his mouth. He thought about the kid. _She doesn't seem like the type who wants to be hacked up. She seems innocent. Pure. Pure like zydrate. No, pure like… NO! Stop this thought train right now! _

Amber slunk up to him and shoved him against the wall. He glared at her and pinned her against the same wall. _Bitch, you have no idea how much I would like to strangle you._ He thought. He felt this way every time he saw her. _You're related to the jerk who killed my sister. Your whole damn family is responsible. _The fact that Amber was addicted to the knife and zydrate gave him no end of pleasure. He knelt before her preparing to give her the fix she so desperately wanted. _Here's to you… I hope you rot in hell. _He thought smugly as he watched the drug take hold of Amber.

He stood and went to stand behind the kid. _What's her name? I don't think I ever found out. Oh well, Kid will just have to do._ He felt her move closer to him. Like she was trying to disappear into him. He suddenly felt very protective of her. He hadn't felt that protective of anybody. _You used to feel that way about _her_._

_Stupid brain. Shut up! _He started whistling the tune that Blind Mag sang.

"Hey, that's Blind Mag's song!" The kid said surprised.

"Who did that?" Amber screeched.

He pointed at the kid with a _I-don't-know-what-she-was-thinking _look on his face. Amber began ranting at the kid and he backed away. _I've come as close to that bitch as I want to tonight. Thank you very much! _

"So you think Mag can sing?" Amber growled.

"I don't think nothing at all." The kid said barely above a whisper.

_Smart comeback, kid. _Graverobber thought. _Now put a little backbone behind it._

"So you think Mag has pipes? Well it's my turn to shine. When the repo man strikes!" Amber practically screamed.

"What are you talking about?" Poor kid, she looked scared half to death.

Amber shoved a magazine into the kid's hands. _That's my cue. _Graverobber thought as he moved in behind the kid. "Mag's contracts got some mighty fine print."

"Some mighty fine print?"

"And that mighty fine print puts Mag in a might predicament. If Mag up and splits, her eyes are forfeit. And if GeneCo and Rotti so will it. Then a Repo man will come and she'll pay for that sugery." Alarms began blaring. _Shit! Fucking Amber! This is probably all just GenCops coming to find her. _Graverobber did the only thing he could think of . He grabbed the kid and ran.

He ran dragging the poor frightened girl behind him. He narrowly missed getting them both smashed by a garbage truck. _Smooth grave robber. Very smooth. _He thought. He plopped down in the heap of garbage, and the kid actually impressed him by jumping onto the truck and clinging to it for dear life. _Nice job, kid. _He thought.

The ride was a quite one. The kid didn't say anything and Graverobber harvested zydrate from the corpses in the garbage truck. He would glance up at her every now and then. _She's cute. _He thought.

_Just like Grace._

_Shut up brain! I don't want to think about her._

_Well, it's true. She's probably only a little younger than Grace was._

_I said shut up!_

Once again his sister's face flashed into his mind. Her gentle eyes, and glowing smile. She almost always had a smile on her face, even when times were hard. _I miss you Grace. _The thought was a forbidden one. He pushed it out of his mind and shoved the syringe into the corpse with more force than required. He looked back at the kid. He should probably say something. "You ok, kid?"

"I'm fine." The kid said, but her words lacked conviction, and so did her eyes.

Without warning, the kid jumped off the garbage truck and ran up to the door of a rather large house. _Must be home. _Graverobber thought. He brought his hand to his mouth, and with a wave of his hand gave her a slight bow. _Good luck kid. More than likely I'll never see her again. Now get back to work. There are graves to rob._


	2. Blood Bath

"_Make the pain go away." She pleaded. "Please, just make it stop." Tears streamed down Grace's face as she clutched at her stomach._

_He grasped her hands to keep her from further agitating the already badly infected wound. "Shhh." He smoothed the hair away from her fevered brow. "It's gonna be all right. You gotta trust me." He wasn't about to tell her that the morphine had run out. Not until he had found an alternative._

_Grace reached up and pushed a loose strand of her brother's long brown hair behind his ear. "I thought you were getting a haircut." She whispered softly._

_He grinned. "I did get a haircut. It's two inches shorter."_

_Grace let out a small laugh, then grimaced in pain once again. "That's cheating." She replied weakly._

_He kissed her forehead gently. "Get some sleep, Grace. I'll be back soon." He said as he stood._

_Grace grabbed his hand tighter. "Please… don't go."_

_He smiled at her. "I have an errand that I have to run."_

"_At midnight?"_

_He squeezed her hand. "Trust me. You'll be glad I went away."_

_Grace shook her head weakly. "Never." She grinned._

_He kissed her forehead again. "Sleep Gracie. I'll be back before you know it."_

Graverobber jolted awake. _Damn! That dream again. _He shook his head. _Will it ever stop?_ He doubted it. And he knew he wouldn't be sleeping again anytime soon. _Guess now is as good a time as any to get up and going. _He grabbed his coat and went outside.

He walked aimless for while until he wound up at his favorite dumpster. And why was it his favorite? Because the junkies usually left him alone there. The ones that were there were usually too busy watching the GeneCo screens. He sat on top of his dumpster and stared up at the sky. _If Grace could see me know. _He thought sardonically. _What the hell has gotten into you lately? Stop thinking about Grace. Thinking about her won't undo anything. Nothing will bring her back and Luigi Largo will never pay for what he's done. _He thought bitterly. _So it's better if you just move on._

His thoughts were interrupted but quickly approaching footsteps. _Amber. Perfect. Just who I don't want to see. _He quickly jumped into his dumpster.

"One more hit, for the show. Make it fast!" Amber whined.

"Take it slow." Graverobber replied mockingly.

"One more hit of the glow!" She said petulantly throwing credits at him.

He held up the little glass vial she was so desperate for. "Don't get cut!" He quipped. _I hope you cut an artery and bleed to death. I'd laugh my ass off. _He thought to himself as he listened to her storm off. A few minutes later there was a knock on his dumpster. A junkie peered down at him. "Trade ya a tabloid for a match." She slurred.

He tossed her a book of matches and took the tabloid. He then proceeded to climb back to his previous position on top of the dumpster instead of inside it. He flipped through the magazine until a story caught his eye.

"Blood bath. It's gonna be a blood bath. 'Cause no one crosses GeneCo. No, not even Repo!" The scalpel sluts looked at him with mild interest. He grinned. _Story time. _He thought. "Will Rotti clean house? Damn! We're gonna find out. At the opera! Stay tuned. The winner of this blood feud will take GeneCo." The junkies grinned back at him and then turned their eyes to the screen.

Secretly Graverobber hopped Rotti would announce that all three of his hellacious brats were disinherited. Probably wouldn't happen, but a man can dream. He stretched out on top of the dumpster in order to get comfortable and watched the opera. For the first few minutes he was bored. It was just people praising GeneCo for "saving" their lives. And then things started to get interesting.

Amber came on stage and started to sing. _Yowl is more like it. _Graverobber sneered. He looked at the screen a bit closer and just as he noticed that something was wrong with Amber's face, said face fell completely off. Graverobber tipped his back and howled with laughter. _Serves you right! HA! She'll be disgraced! HA!_

He continued to laugh until Blind Mag took the stage. Then he quieted. He liked Mag, and was glad the Repo men hadn't gotten to her yet. _Sing your heart out, Mag._ Mag was one of the only truly good people he knew in the world. His sister had been her assistant, before she died. _Gracie, you'd love the song Mag is singing right now. _He thought briefly.

Graverobber's enjoyment turned to horror at the end of Mag's song. It like the world slowed as she ripped her own eyes out of their sockets. And the world seemed to stop all together as she plummeted to her death. Graverobber felt his heart drop to his stomach. _NO! _His mind screamed. _Not Mag! Shit! _His eyes were now glued to the screen.

Then the unthinkable happened. The last person in the world that Graverobber ever expected to see stepped out onto the stage. _Kid? What the hell? _She was followed by Repo. _Shit! Run kid! Run! _He watched in horror as accusations flew between Shilo, her father and Rotti.

Even the junkies gasped when Rotti announced that Nathan had been poisoning Shilo. _Jeeze, kid! What the hell kind of life is that? _Graverobber felt the sudden urge to run to the opera and take Shilo away. _Gotta protect her! _

_And just how would you manage that? You're in no position to take care of anybody._

_Oh shut up._

He turned his attention back to the screen in time to see Rotti pull the trigger. He sat in stunned silence as he watched Shilo tearfully tell her father she loved him one last time. She then proceeded to leave the stage declaring her freedom. _Good job, kid. _He thought.

"Goth opera. Blood Saga. Sometimes I wonder how we ever got here." He had the full attention of the junkies again. "Old grudges. Scorned lovers." He tossed the tabloid into the fire. "Sometimes I wonder why we all don't move on!"

The junkies moved in closer to him. " 'Cause we all end up in a tiny pine box. A mighty small prop in a mighty dark plot. And the mighty fine print hastens the trip to our epilogue."

"Epilogue?" One of the scalpel sluts asked.

He nodded. "But the little girl fled, and the king is dead, and the castle is left for the taking. But GeneCo may survive if it undergoes surgery." He pull the little glass vial out and held it up. One of the junkies moved closer to him and took the vial. She slid some credits into his hands and walked away. Graverobber grinned and began his evening Zydrate distribution.

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_A/N~ _Remember that reviews are love. I am open to suggestions as to what you would like to see. Love and zydrate to all.


	3. GRACE!

**Author's Note:** For those of you annoyed with the movie quotes in the previous two chapters, including myself, you will notice a dramatic decrease in the following chapters. I tried to write the previous chapters without as many direct quotes; however, Graverobber wouldn't cooperate. This chapter is mostly focused on Graverobber and his sister. Enjoy!_  


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_

_He walked out of the apartment he shared with his sister. His sister, who also happened to be his best friend, was dying and he couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. She was his rock, the reason that he stayed on the straight and narrow. Because there was no way in hell he would risk anything that would endanger his baby sister. But not now. Now Gracie was dying and there was nothing anyone could do. Now she needed him to take the pain away. They were out of morphine, which left him with only one option. Zydrate. And frankly, he didn't give a damn that it was illegal. All he could think about was taking Grace's pain away._

_He walked around the cemetery, cautiously harvesting the glowing blue drug. As he walked he could feel the rage he felt towards Luigi Largo growing. Finally, he could take no more. He threw his head back and screamed the name of the one person that he loved unconditionally. "GRACE!" She was the one thing in all of this crazy, screwed up world that made sense, and he was going to lose her. "GRACE!" He screamed again not caring who heard him. _

_After gathering enough zydrate to last the week at least, he headed back home. Thankfully, Grace was sleeping when he got back. He set his bag down on the floor and settled into the chair next to her bed. He had left her side long enough. An hour later his sister stirred. "You're back." She said with a weak smile._

_He nodded. "I told you I would be. How is the pain?"_

_She grimaced. "Still there."_

_He squeezed her hand. "I brought you something that will make it go away." He said as he pulled out a vial of the glowing blue liquid._

"_What is it?" Grace asked._

"_Zydrate."_

_His sister's eye's widened. She grabbed his arm. "Zydrate? It's expensive. How did you get it?"_

_He shook his head. "Doesn't matter how. The point is I have enough to last you through the week."_

"_You're so good to me." Grace whispered._

"_I'm your brother, it's kinda my job." He said with a Cheshire like grin. He put the vial in the gun, and injected it into Grace's arm_

"_Oh… that's… better." Grace murmured as she drifted off to sleep._

_He watched her sleep before falling asleep himself. He woke several hours later to his sister clutching his hand. "Gracie, you're awake."_

_She attempted a weak smile. "I want…" She whispered barely loud enough for him to hear. Her breathing was ragged and labored._

_He got out of the chair and knelt next to her bed so he could hear her better. "What is it Grace? What do you need?"_

_She squeezed his hand. "Want you… to know… I…love…you." She gasped._

_He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I love you too, Gracie." Tears were streaming down his cheeks._

"_Don't… cry. Terrance… you're… a… good… brother… best…ever." She whispered._

_He didn't know what to say. He knew what was coming, and he wasn't ready. "Only because I have you." He managed to choke out. _

_Gace smiled at him. Then she closed her eyes for the last time. A moment later, he was alone. He buried his face in the pillow next to his sister's body and sobbed. His family, his life, his Grace was gone._

Graverobber woke up screaming "GRACE!" He glanced around dazed and then realized that he was hanging upside down. _What the hell? _Then reality set. _Shit! That bitch! _Not only had Amber knocked him unconscious, she had hung him upside down.

His dream came flooding back to him. His sister's dying words rang in his ears. Fresh tears came to his eyes. He blinked rapidly to keep the tears from escaping his eyes. _Grace. Damn, I miss you so much. _The annoying little in his head said.

_Stop it! Quit thinking like that._

_It's true._

_I said stop it! It's against my grave robber code._

_You don't have a code._

_No body asked you._

Graverobber's argument with himself was interrupted the soft sounds of timid feet. "Who's there? Stay back." _Way to bottle the emotions, Graverobber._

_Shut up! _He told the annoying little voice. Bad enough he sound upset. He didn't need the insult from his own damn brain.

"Umm… do you have my cure?" The small scared voiced asked.

_I know that voice! No! It can't be! It's the kid, I'm sure of it. "_Kid is that you?"

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_A/N ~ Thanks to Super Spazzaroid and MysteryinWonderland for their reviews. I couldn't think of a decent name for Graverobber before he became Graverobber. So I consulted him. His answer was Terrance. Actually I figured that it works for the actor, so it will work for the Graverobber. :) Love and zydrate to all!  
_


	4. Carsmacker

**Author's Note: **This chapter is dedicated to my bestest buddy Wicked Willow. First, she introduced me to Repo! The Genetic Opera. Second, she planted the name for the OC I will be introducing in this chapter in my head. And out of the name the character bloomed. Enjoy!

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_Stupid Graverobber. Very, very stupid! _The annoying little voice practically screamed.

_Buzz off. _Graverobber looked down at the tiny figure doing a brilliant job of keeping up with his long strides. Shilo Wallace was now following him home. There was nothing he could do now, because it was his own damn fault. _You just had to open your mouth. You had to say _'_thanks for helping me down, Kid. Got any place to go?' An when she said no you had to go and tell her she could just come with you. Do you have any idea how much this complicates things?_

_Of course I do. Now shut up and leave me alone._

"Where are you taking me?" The small voice broke into Graverobber's thoughts.

He looked down at her. "My place, Kid."

"Shilo." She muttered.

He grinned, but chose not to say anything. They walked along in silence for a few minutes. He was mentally trying to figure out exactly what the hell he was going to do with her. He couldn't just abandon her, now that he'd told her she could come home with him. _Grace would probably come back and haunt my ass. _That brought the Cheshire like grin to his face. A new voice startled him out of his thoughts.

"Hey! Gravedigger!" A voice called from across the street.

He turned to see a thin figure with a mass of tangled firey red curls perched on top of a beat up car. She was grinning like a fool. He barked out a laugh and waved for her to come over. She leapt of the car in a fluid motion and made her way towards them. Shilo moved to hide behind him. "Where you been keeping yourself, Carsmacker? Haven't seen you in at least a year." He smirked.

Carsmacker gave a cryptic shrug. "Here and there. You know me, I go where ever the wind blows me." She said with a grin that almost rivaled Graverobber's. She stood just a little shorter than Graverobber. She looked around him and quirked an eyebrow. "Who's the kid?"

Graverobber pulled Shilo out from behind him. "Carsmacker meet Shilo."

"Hi." Shilo said shyly.

Carsmacker grinned at her. " 'S a pleasure."

"Carsmacker's the best car thief out there, except for one small problem."

"What's that?" Shilo asked.

"The reason for this lunkhead's oh-so-affectionate nickname. I can't seem to steal a car without smackin' my face on it while I'm stealin' it." Carsmacker replied.

"How many times have you broken that pretty little jaw of your's?" Graverobber asked, taking her jaw in his hand.

She defiantly jerked her chin up, but he maintained a hold on it. "Too many times to count." She quipped locking eyes with Graverobber. "Need a lift? Anywhere, everywhere. Tonight is on the house." She said with a sultry smile.

Graverobber brought his head down and kissed her soundly before whispering "My place." In her ear.

Carsmacker stepped back and with a deep bow motioned to the car she had been perched upon. "Your chariot awaits."

The drive to Graverobber's place was quiet. Shilo sat in the backseat. Graverobber sat up front talking softly to Carsmacker. Shilo was surprised when they pulled into a rather nice parking garage. "This way." Graverobber said as they got out of the car. He led them to an elevator. "This elevator takes us to right outside my door. No one will see us." He said leading the way.

Once inside the surprising large three bedroom apartment, he showed Shilo the room and adjoining bathroom she could use. "Get cleaned up kid, and then get some rest." Shilo nodded then closed the door to do exactly that.

Once he was sure that Shilo was taken care of, Graverobber turned his attention back to Carsmacker. She had perched herself on the kitchen counter. Her green eyes gleamed with excitement and promise. "This place looks like you haven't been here in a while." She said softly.

Graverobber slid out of his coat let it along with his bag of tools and drugs drop to the floor. "That's because I haven't been here in a while." He said moving to stand in front of her.

"You know, it's no sin to live somewhere." Carsmacker said quietly.

Graverobber moved in closer to her and placed his hands on the counter right next to her thighs. "I know. I just have no reason to come here."

"I can think of several. A bed, a shower, and a door that locks to name a few." She said quietly.

He grinned at her, a hungry, wolfish grin. "You trying to tell me I need a shower?"

She grinned back suggestively. "Only if I get one too."

He closed the distance between their mouths and kissed her hungrily, then whispered. "Follow me, dirty girl." He grabbed her hand. She giggled and jumped off the counter obediently following him.

Graverobber pulled Carsmacker into the very back bedroom and kicked the door closed behind them. The pair hastily took off their boots. He wore the boots for the job. She wore them as a fashion statement. Once the problematic footwear was disgarded, the pair began a choreographed dance of kissing and peeling each other out of their respective clothing. All the while making their way to the shower. Forturnately for them, the master bathroom was a walk-in shower next to a Jacuzzi type tub.

He pushed her against the shower wall and turned on the water. She kissed him greedily and then pulled away breathless. "No more until I see your face." She said before playfully pushing him beneath the stream of water.

He growled, pulled her close to him with one hand, and then proceeded to scrub his face clean. She watched in amazement as the water not only washed the paint away, but it also washed years off of his face. "There you are." She whispered.

"Enough talk." He growled in her ear. "Give me what I want." He whispered. And she did. She gave him exactly what he wanted and more. Fortunately for her, it was what she wanted too.

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_A/N ~ I know that I said this would be an eventual Grilo, and eventually it will be. However, my muse (Graverobber) told me that I simply must take this story as it unfolds with all the twists and turns that come along the way. I'm not sure how long Carsmacker will stick around, but I am assured that she will eventually fade to the background. So hold onto your hats! It's gonna be a wild ride! Remember, reviews = love. _


	5. Dreams

Carsmacker sat perched on the edge of the bed just watching Graverobber sleep. He looked much younger without the white face paint and darkly colored eyes and lips. She smiled. He was her friend. And maybe a bit more than just her friend. He was someone she knew she could depend on. Someone she knew she could trust. Not to mention she owed him. He'd saved her life on more than one occasion. But she never stayed around long enough to show him how much she truly appreciated him. She just couldn't.

Sure, she'd given him plenty of hints. The ways he touched her. The way she let him take her anyway he wanted. Nobody, but nobody was allowed to do that. And then there was the fact that he actually knew her real name. The one thing that for so many years had been what belonged to her and her alone, she had shared with him.

Naturally, there were plenty of times when she had wanted to stay. Who knew, maybe one day he would talk her into it. He'd tried before. But for now, for now she needed her independence. She needed her freedom and the ability to go wherever the wind took her. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

She watched him sleeping. Watched the steady rise and fall of his chest with his arm draped across his stomach. He groaned. She figured he was dreaming, probably about his sister. As much as he tried to hide his emotions, she had always been able to read him like a book. She crawled back under the covers, and rested her head and hand on his chest. He reached up and enveloped her hand in his. "That tickles." he whispered with a soft laugh.

She looked up at his face now grinning down at her. "Sorry, thought you were sleeping."

"I was until someone started moving around too damn much."

She sat up. "I was not moving around that much." She said with a mock-hurt expression.

He barked out a laugh. "Sure. I made it all up."

She nodded. "Exactly."

He grinned. He put hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. She giggled. "If you start this up again, neither of us will get anymore sleep." She said pulling away and curling up on her side with her back to him.

He moved in behind her and draped his arm across her. "Who needs sleep? We'll sleep when we're dead." He whispered in her ear.

"Go to sleep." She whispered back. "I'll still be here in the morning."

"You'd better be." He said softly. A few minutes later they were both asleep. And unfortunately for Graverobber, it was not a dreamless sleep.

_Grace was grinning when she came home and sat down across from her brother. "You're not going to believe what happened this afternoon." She said excitedly._

_He looked up from the book he had been reading. "Well, tell me then so I can start not believing you." He replied playful._

"_I got a job. I'll be working as Blind Mag's assistant." _

_He put the book down and scowled. "Grace… Blind Mag is owned by GeneCo." It was no secret that he didn't like GeneCo, more specifically the Largo family. He just couldn't trust people who saw other people as merchandise._

_She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I know that. But GeneCo doesn't hire Mag's staff. I work for Mag, not the Largo's." She said patiently._

_He sighed. He knew he should be excited for his sister but something in his gut told him that this job meant trouble. But being the big brother he was, he shoved the feeling aside and managed a smile. "Alright then. So tell me about this job."_

_The next four years flew by. Grace blossomed at her job, but the feeling of unease never quite disappeared from the back of her brother's mind. He had no problem with Mag herself. In fact, she had become a good friend of both Grace and himself. No, his worry stemmed from the ties Mag had with GeneCo. He had taken a job as a bouncer at a bar and from there moved up to a bartending position. With the money from their combined jobs, they were able to move into a rather large three bedroom apartment. Things were indeed going well. But then one night, his world came crashing down around him._

_He was at work, just coming off one of his breaks when his boss motioned him over to the phone. "Phone call for you, sounds important." The smaller man had said._

_He took the phone from his boss. "Hello?"_

"_Terrance? It's Mag. There's been an accident."_

_He felt like his heart stopped. "Is Grace ok?"_

"_It would be wise if you come home soon." Mag said gently._

"_I'll be right there. Tell, Grace I'm coming." He replied. Then, without waiting for a response, hung up the phone. He went and found his boss. _

"_Everything alright?" The older man asked._

_Terrance shook his head. "It's Grace."_

_His boss put a hand on his shoulder. "Go home. Keep me in the loop."_

_Terrance nodded and bolted for the door. After what seemed like an eternity, he made it to the apartment. "Grace!" He Called._

_Mag stepped out of Grace's bedroom. He could see the tears on her face._

_His long legs made short work of the distance between them. "What happened."_

_Mag closed her eyes as more tears spilled out of them. "Luigi. He stabbed her. I don't know why. I had stepped out. I can back just in time to see it happen and to stop him from hurting her further."_

_His face darkened. _I told this job was a bad idea. _The voice in his whispered. He ignored it. "Will she be alright?" _

_Mag sighed. "I don't know." Nathan Wallace is in with her now._

"_The Repo Man? What is he doing here?" He demanded._

_Mag put a hand on his arm. "He's a friend of mine. He's a very gifted surgeon. He stopped the bleeding and stitched Grace up earlier. Now he's just redressing the wounds. He's only trying to help." She said softly._

_He felt his anger cool. "Can I see her?" He asked. _

_Mag nodded and stepped aside. He went into his sister's room. Nathan Wallace was pulling on his coat. He looked up as Terrance entered the room. "I've done what I can for her." He said gently. "She's lucky Mag came in when she did. Keep the wounds covered. I'll be back to check on her in the morning." He said before exiting the room._

_Terrance nodded then went over to his sister's bed. She looked so pale. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and knelt down beside her. "Grace." He whispered, covering her hand with his._

_Her eyes fluttered open. "Terrance…" She said weakly. "Knew you'd come."_

_He smiled and blinked back tears. "How are you feeling?"_

"_Fuzzy." She replied sleepily._

"_Well then, get some sleep." He said softly. She nodded and was soon fast asleep. He stood, kissed her forehead and then quietly left the room._

_Mag was seated on the couch in the living room. She stood when Terrance came out of Grace's room. "How is she."_

"_Sleeping." He said. "You said Luigi Largo did this to her?"_

_Mag nodded. "You can't go after him."_

"_If I don't, then who will?" He demanded._

_Mag sighed. "I don't know. But if you go after him, then he'll kill you and Grace won't have anyone."_

_She was right and he knew it. He sighed. "He could have killed her. She could still die." He gripped the top of the couch. His knuckles were white. "If she dies…" He let the sentence hang in the air. He hung his head. "I can't lose her, Mag."_

_Mag came over and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know." She whispered. "Get some rest. She's going to need her brother well rested."_

_He nodded. "I know."_

_"I'll be back tomorrow to check on her."_

_"Thanks, Mag."_

_Mag gave his shoulder a final squeeze and then left. Terrance stood in the living room for a long time. He went to his room, closed the door and then slammed his fist into the wall! Luigi Largo had attacked his sister. And in his eyes, the whole damn Largo family and GeneCo would pay. He'd make sure of it._


	6. Breakfast

**Author's note: **I am pleased to announce that Carsmacker finally told me her real name. It will be revealed in this chapter. Love and zydrate to all.

* * *

Carsmacker let out a surprised yelp as she landed on the floor with a thud. Her shoulder throbbed. "What the…?" She whispered. She looked up at the bed to see Graverobber thrashing about. "Damn dream again." She muttered as she stood and massaged a very sore shoulder. There was only one thing to do when he was like this if she didn't want to get thrashed. She walked into the bathroom and soaked wash cloth in warm water. Cold water would just make him grumpy. She had very good aim.

Graverobber woke with a start as a warm wet wash cloth slapped him across the face. "What the hell?" He yanked the wash cloth off his face to see a very annoyed Carsmacker glaring at him. "What was that for?"

"For the bruises that will soon be forming on _my_ body, and for the rude awakening of landing on the damn floor." She stated matter-of-factly.

_Bruises? Landing on the floor? Huh? _He thought. Then the fact that he had been dreaming dawned on him. "Shit. I'm sorry. Where did I get you?"

" 'S ok. My shoulder is the only thing that hurts at the moment." She said with a shrug.

"Let me look at it." He said standing up and walking over to her.

"It'll heal." She said turning so he could see. Sure enough a bruise about the size of his fist was blooming.

"Damn. Fiona, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was dreaming so violently." He said bending down to kiss the top of her shoulder. "Want me to get you some ice?"

She shook her head. "I've had far worse bruises. Nothing, to get worked up over."

"I'm not worked up." He protested.

"You called me Fiona." She stated. "You only call me that when you're upset."

He shook his head. "Guess you're right."

"Of course I am." She smirked. Suddenly her shoulder was throbbing. "Ok, maybe I will take you up on that ice." She said sheepishly.

"Be right back." He said, hastily wrapping a towel around himself.

She grinned and then panicked. What about the kid? What was her name? Cindy? Shelly? Shello? Shilo! But it was too late. She heard the yelp of a very surprised Shilo discovering a very nearly naked and sans face paint Graverobber.

She scrambled to pull on her clothes and raced into the kitchen where a frantic Graverobber was trying to explain himself to a shocked Shilo. A girl which he had totally forgotten was in his apartment. Spying the coat he carelessly left on the floor. She picked it up and carried it into the kitchen.

"Kid, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened… I kinda just… Well, I thought…" Graverobber stammered completely rattled.

Shilo was shocked speechless. Carsmacker watched for a moment in amusement. She had never seen him this unnerved. After a few seconds she took pity on him and decided to intervene. "Sorry, Shilo." She said nonchalantly stepping into the kitchen and handing the coat to Graverobber. She stepped between Graverobber and Shilo, blocking Shilo's view so Graverobber could slip the coat on. "He had a momentary lapse of judgement. Not everyone can handle being put through the site of Graverobber in a towel."

Shilo nodded and seemed to relax a little. "I just wasn't expecting it." She said softly. "I'm not really sure what I was expecting.'

Carsmacker grinned. "Naturally." She turned to Graverobber, who was still standing behind her. "Go put some clothes on, would ya?"

"Later." He whispered in her ear. "I'm gonna deal with you later."

She gave him a cheeky grin as he walked out of the kitchen. "Can't wait." She turned her attention back to Shilo. "You hungry?"

Shilo nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Lets have a look and see if the lunkhead keeps any food in this joint." She said turning towards the cabinets.

"He called you Carsmacker, right?" Shilo asked gaining a little confidence.

Carsmacker nodded. "Yeah, he does. But most people just call me Red."

"Red?"

"Yeah, because of her mane of wild red hair." The now clothed Graverobber stated.

"Oh." Was all Shilo could say. She was staring at Graverobber again.

"Kid, I'm not gonna grow a tail." He laughed.

"She's probably never seen you unpainted." Red quipped.

"I haven't." Shilo said.

"Do I look that different?"

"Just more human." Shilo said softly.

"And less scary." Red added. "Hey, you like pancakes, kid?"

"Yeah."

"Watch yourself, Carsmacker." Graverobber said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her midsection. "I bet I can still make your toes curl." He whispered seductively in her ear.

She laughed and playfully slapped his hands. "Feel free to try. But later, Shilo and I are hungry."

"And you're going to cook?" Graverobber asked in surprised.

"Don't sound so surprised. Just because I grew up on the streets doesn't mean I haven't picked up any domestic skills." Carsmacker said in mock-offense as she pulled away from Graverobber and went to work on the pancakes.

Shilo giggled. "So, you two are a couple then?"

"Hell no." Carsmacker said.

"Huh?"

"It isn't for lack of trying on my part. Red just won't give into me." Graverobber said feigning sadness.

"Damn straight."

"Why not?" Shilo wondered.

Red laughed. "Because I need my freedom. And In my line of work, I can't afford to have connections that strong." She saw the look on Shilo's face. "Look at this way, kid. Graverobber stays here all the time. I can't don't. I can't stand staying in one place more than a week. So we have an arrangement."

"And that arrangement is?" Shilo wondered.

"You ask too many questions, kid." Graverobber quipped.

"He gives me a place to stay when I'm in town and I give him whatever he wants." Carsmacker said bluntly.

"Oh." Shilo blushed. "I think I'm gonna go shower. I'll be back in a few minutes." She said as she turned and fled for her bathroom.

Graverobber barked out a laugh. "You scared her, poor kid."

"She'll learn not to ask so many questions. Or how not to blush at the answers." Carsmacker replied.

Graverobber gave her an amused look. "You always have been rather brutal on your pupils."

Carsmacker grinned. "You have always been more than a pupil."

He grinned. "Careful, I'm getting ideas."

She handed him a plate full of pancakes. "Here, this should distract you. Save some for us girls."

"Where are you going?"

"My phone is vibrating and tickling my leg."

He nodded and gave her a dismissive wave. "Go on then."

She grinned and went into the master bedroom. Five minutes later she returned to find Shilo and Graverobber eating. "Looks like I'll be leaving sooner than I expected." She announced.

"Where are you going?" Shilo asked.

"Probably to hell." Carsmacker smirked.

"You'll learn not to ask her that." Graverobber grinned. "She'll never you." He looked at Carsmacker and added "She never tells anyone."

"Safer that way." Carsmacker said cryptically as she pulled on her boots.

"You're leaving now?" Shilo asked.

"Yup."

"You didn't eat."

Carsmacker picked up a pancake. "Gotta go. Nice meeting you kid. Take care of the lunkhead." She winked and headed out the door.

"Back in a minute kid." Graverobber said as he stood and followed Carsmacker.

"Sure." Shilo said and watched him leave.

He caught up with her at the elevator. "What's the job?"

She shook her head. "Can't tell you that."

"C'mon Red." He growled.

"I'll be back eventually. You've got someone else to look after while I'm gone."

"Don't get caught." He warned.

"Never do."

He pulled her close and kissed her hungrily. "You sure I can't change your mind?"

"Nope. Take care of Shilo. She needs you." She said pulling away and getting into the elevator.

He watched doors close, then turned to go back inside the apartment. _She'll be back. _He thought. _And she'd best be in one piece.

* * *

_

_A/N ~ Anyone spot her name? Remember, reviews= love._


	7. Offers

Graverobber returned to find Shilo washing her dishes. "You eat quick kid."

She shrugged. "Wasn't real hungry."

"The streets must be rubbing off on you."

Shilo looked up with surprise "What makes you say that?"

"Your sentences aren't quite as perfect as they used to be."

Shilo looked back down at the sink. "I guess."

"Nothin' to be ashamed of, kid." Graverobber said.

Shilo watched him sit back at the table and wolf down the rest of his breakfast. She had to hold back a laugh at the way he inhaled his food. She finished the dishes in no time. When he was finished, she washed up after Graverobber too. "Thanks, kid."

She shrugged. "It's the least I can do after you let me stay here last night."

"You planning on staying elsewhere tonight?" Graverobber asked, even though he was fairly certain what her answer would be.

Shilo looked a bit surprised. "Well, I hadn't quite figured that out yet. Amber and the press have the house watched constantly. And I'm all by myself there. So I snuck out through my tunnel, and haven't been back since." She suddenly felt very small.

Graverobber gave her a looked of amusement. "Kid, I'm not kicking you out. This apartment is huge, and I'm not here that often. Besides, I think I can think of someway for you to make yourself useful." He grinned at her like a Cheshire cat.

Shilo's eyes widened. "I don't think I could…" She paused and blushed in embarrassment at what she thought he meant.

He laughed. "Relax kid, that isn't what I meant."

"Oh." She relaxed a little. "What did you mean?"

"I'm talking about teaching you the trade. You're small so you'll be great at getting us into places that I normally wouldn't be able to get in. If you want, I'll show you the ropes. What do you say, kid?"

Shilo looked down at the ground for a minute. "And in return I can stay here?"

The look of innocence on her face reminded him so much of his sister. The lostness almost broke his heart. He nodded. "Yeah, kid. Consider that room your's. There's just one problem."

"What's that?"

"We have got to get you some different clothes if we are going to make a proper grave robber out of you."

Shilo wrinkled her nose a bit. "Does that mean…?" She paused, not sure she should question the man who had just told her she could stay with him.

Graverobber grinned. "I thought girls liked new clothes." He teased.

"Well…" She decided to blurt it out anyway. "Does that mean I have to dress like… well, like you?" She blushed again.

He laughed. "Don't worry kid. You can pick your own style. But those little dresses you like don't offer much protection for your arms and legs. And you will definitely need better shoes."

"Oh. That does make sense. Where should I get the clothes from?"

That lost look was back on her face. _You still have Grace's clothes._ The little voice in his head whispered.

_Grace's clothes?_

_Shilo is about the same size Grace was. Maybe a little shorter._ Graverobber gritted his teeth for a minute. "You can try on my sister's clothes. There's a closet and a bunch of drawers full of clothes in the middle bedroom."

Shilo looked shocked. "You have a sister?"

"Had, kid. I had a sister. But she's dead now."

"What happened?"

"The Largo's happened."

Shilo nodded and dropped the subject. "You really don't mind if I wear her clothes?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't mind." _Liar._ He thought. _Well, what choice do I have?_

_You could always turn out on her own._

_Like hell. Then Grace really would come back and haunt my ass._

"Thanks." Shilo said.

He nodded. "It's still early yet, kid. You might want to think about getting a couple more hours sleep. You'll need it since you'll be coming with me tonight."

She gave him a quizzical look. "Its after noon."

"Kid, we won't be leaving until well after it gets dark. So pick out some clothes, then try and sleep." He grinned that Cheshire grin again. "Since I don't need to pick out a new wardrobe, I'm going to take my advice now and go back to bed."

"How will I know when to get up?"

He laughed. "Don't worry. I won't leave without you."

"Ok, goodnight then?" Shilo asked with a scrunched up expression.

He nodded. "Goodnight." He gave her a small bow as she turned and went to Grace's bedroom to pick out. He walked back into his room stripped off his shirt, flopped onto his bed and was soon asleep.

The thing he hated about sleeping was that he always dreamed. And the reason hated dreaming? Because nearly every dream he had had something to do with his sister. Sure, he had dreams about other things. However, those dreams were extremely few and even farther between. Fortunately, this dream was one of the rare ones. Sort of.

_He was slumped against the back of his sister's headstone. He was drunk. Again, and for the umpteenth time in a row. How many times had it actually been? He tried to remember, but didn't really care when he couldn't. The day Grace had died, something inside him had snapped. A part of him had died. He wasn't sure what that part was, but at the moment he just didn't give a damn._

_He took another drink from the bottle of tequila. It wasn't his favorite, but it did the job quicker than most others. And drink after drink he forced the burning liquid down his throat. But somehow he couldn't drink away his sister's face from his mind._

"_Ugh!" A voice remarked from somewhere near him._

_He didn't look up to see it. He didn't care to know. He just wanted to be left alone. "Go away." He muttered._

_The voice giggled. "If you're going to drink, then at least drink something that tastes good."_

_He chucked the bottle in the general direction of the voice (he thought) and muttered a few choice words. The voice giggled again. "You just wasted perfectly good alcohol, even if it is disgusting. You're a terrible aim, by the way."_

_He was getting really annoyed with this voice and looked up to tell it exactly what he thought of it. Much to his surprise he saw a skinny girl with a long wild mane of thick, curly, flaming red hair perched on top on the gravestone in front of him. She was grinning at him. "What do you want, kid?" He demanded in irritation. "And when are you going to go away?"_

_She laughed and hopped off the gravestone. She walked over and sat down next to him, as close as she could possibly get. "Technically, I was in this graveyard first, but I wouldn't expect you to have noticed. You're always too drunk."_

_He tried to stand, but he was drunk enough that the annoying red-head kept him on the ground with just one hand. "I don't need this right now." He growled._

_She laughed again. "Actually, you do. And I need you."_

_He gave her an overly-exasperated look. "If you have a point then make it and go away."_

_She grinned. "You need something to get your mind off of the oh-so-shaky cliff its on. And I need someone who will intimidate certain people who are too big for me to handle. And I think I have a solution that will suit both of us quite nicely."_

"_And that solution would be?"_

_She stood. "You're huge. Not quite scary, yet. But with a few touches to your wardrobe that could easily be fixed. And I have a product with no way to get it to my clients without getting pounded. So I propose we team up. You scare people away from me. And I give you something to do."_

"_Kid…" he made a move to protest._

"_Red. Everyone calls me Red. Don't make up your mind just yet. If you decide you'd rather have some fun instead of doing nothing at all, then look me up." She said before starting to walk away._

"_And exactly how am I supposed to do that?" He quipped._

"_You walk by me every night between the bar and here." She called over her shoulder before walking away entirely._

_The next night he walked aimlessly, or so he thought. Without thinking, he passed the bar and started walking towards the graveyard. Out of the night he heard a yell. "GET YOUR PAWS OFF ME!" A strangely familiar voice hollered._

_His curiosity piqued and he moved quickly and quietly towards the voice. He turned a corner and saw a rather large and muscular man beating a mass of wild red hair. "Hey!" He shouted as he moved closer. "Leave the kid alone."_

"_She your's or something?" The large man snapped._

"_Yeah, she's mine. Now get lost." He must have looked intimidating, because the man took off. He walked over to the mass of red hair and crouched down next to her. "You ok, kid?"_

_Emerald green eyes sparkled up at him. She brushed the mass of hair away from her face, revealing more scrapes and forming bruises, and nodded. "Yeah, thanks."_

_He shook his head. "No you're not." He stood and offered her a hand up. "Come with me."_

_She gave him a quizzical look. "Changed your mind so fast?" She took his hand and he helped her to her feet._

_He shrugged. "Maybe I just got bored."_

"_Thanks."_

"_Come on, lets get you cleaned up." He said grinning a Cheshire like grin.

* * *

_

_A/N Congrats to MysteryInWonderland for spotting Carsmacker's real name! :) Thanks to MysteryInWonderland, Anime WarriorSkye, and An Anonymous Soul for their delightful reviews. Chapter 8 will be appearing soon. So long as my fingers can keep up with my muse. Love and zydrate to all!__  
_


	8. Spark

**Author's Note:** Ok, I just have to say how much fun this chapter was to write. I won't give anything way, but just know that I really enjoyed watching this portion of the story unfold. Enjoy!

* * *

_Over the next few months Terrance and Red developed an interesting relationship. He was her muscle and let her stay at his apartment and she in turn helped him get out of his drunken depression. Mostly she just kept him busy, taking him on car deliveries with her and then taking long walks through the cemeteries. Then one night she disappeared. She left a note on the front door saying:_

Don't worry. I had to take off. I never stay in one place very long. I get anxious. I'll be back. And I'll have something for you when I get back.

See ya when the wind blows me back,

Red

_He shook his head after reading the note. "Damn, Carsmacker, you should woken me up." He whispered, calling her by the nickname he'd bestowed the week before after realizing how many times she smacked her face into the doors of cars she was stealing._

_He paced around the apartment for a while and then couldn't take the silence. So he walked out into the night. He walked to the cemetery and visited his sister's grave. "She left, Grace. She just up and left. And now I'm back were she found me." _Maybe that's the point. _A slightly sinister and scary voice in his head whispered. _

Huh?

Think of all this place has to offer.

What are you suggesting?

Zydrate. You have loads of it at the apartment, and you know the best places to find it.

I wouldn't know how to sell it.

That's easy. Scalpel sluts are everywhere. Find a dark alley and let your product be known.

Might work.

You know it will. Otherwise you wouldn't have thought of it._ He sighed. He shook his head, knowing that it was dangerous. But something inside of him had sparked. _

_The following night he donned white face paint, black eyeliner and black color. He gathered the zydrate up in a messenger bag and headed out in search of a selling spot._

_After walking for a while, he stumbled across a sign promoting something he'd never considered before. The Zydrate Support Network. It advertised meeting times and the location. Also mentioned was the name of the founder, Miss Amber Sweet. That fact fanned the something that had sparked into a flame. This was his key. This was how he would strike back at the Largo's. Zydrate addicts packed into the support meetings. And he would be the wolf lurking just outside the door. Tonight would tell. He waited patiently until the meeting was over and Miss Sweet was gone. And then he stepped out of the shadows and crooned "Zydrated comes in a little glass vial." _

_That was it. He was suddenly surrounded by scalpel sluts and zydrate addicts. And as much as he despised them, he gave them what they wanted because it meant money that would have been GeneCo's was now his. And that gave him a strange yet enjoyable sense of power._

_He returned the next night, and the night after that, and on and on until he became an expected sight for the addicts. Before he realized what had happened, Terrance practically ceased to exist. He had been replace by Graverobber. Eventually, Amber Sweet herself began coming to him begging for the glow. And the first night that she had practically begged him for a hit, well that had been the sweetest moment of all._

_Six months later Red came back. She had a new bruise on her face. And true to her word she had something for him. A coat trimmed with fur that made the Graverobber, who had by now added multi-colors to his already long hair, look complete. She grinned the first time she saw him with the face paint. "Damn, I knew you had a freak in you somewhere." She laughed._

_He threw his head back and howled in laughter. "I'm glad your back Carsmacker." He teased._

"_Watch it Gravedigger."_

"_Graverobber." he corrected._

_She shrugged and moved in for a kiss. "I told that I had something for you." She said excitedly._

_He gave her a confused expression. "You gave me the coat already."_

_She shook her head. "Not the coat. That was an after thought." She kissed him again, and pushed the coat off his shoulders. "What I meant in the note was more than just a coat." She said toying with his shirt buttons until his shirt was off. _

_He stood watching her. In the months she had lived in his apartment they'd never been more than just friends. "Red, what are you doing?"_

"_Fiona." She corrected. "My real name is Fiona. And I wanted you know that before I give you what I really wanted to give you."_

_He grinned. "And that would be?"_

"_Me." She replied gently. And then she gave herself to him in every way he'd ever dreamed and more. _

Graverobber woke relieved that he hadn't dreamed about his sister. He got up, dressed and then masterfully applied the face paint, eye make up and lip color before donning the coat.

He walked out into the living room to see Shilo wearing jeans, a long sleeved black shirt, and a solid pair of girls combat boots he'd forgotten Grace had owned. She also had a leather jacket draped across her knees. He nodded his approval. "That'll work, Kid."

"Shilo." She corrected.

He sat down on the couch next to her. "I'm gonna tell you a secret. On the street the only thing you own that no one can ever take from you is your name. You need to guard that name of your's. So until we come up with something better, get used to being called Kid."

Shilo contemplated that fact for a moment. "People already know who I am."

Graverobber thought for a moment. "Kid, it's been 6 months since the opera."

"So?"

"So take that wig off."

Shilo glared at him. "My hair isn't very long yet."

"Kid, you're gonna have to trust me on this."

Shilo grimaced and then pulled off the wig to reveal a very thick layer extremely dark brown hair ending just above her earlobes. "I told you it isn't very long."

Graverobber grinned. "Kid, it's perfect." He jumped up from the couch. "Follow me." He led her into the bathroom and pulled out some gel and a can of bright purple spray-in hair color. Within minutes Shilo's hair was spiked and streaked with purple.

Shilo blinked. "Wow. I look…"

"Unrecognizable."

She grinned. "Like a new person."

"Come on kid let's get going." Graverobber said making his way to the front door. So many addicts so little time.

Shilo grabbed her jacket and rushed after him. In the elevator she finally got up the nerve to ask their destination. "Are we going to the same place we went the first night you found me?"

Graverobber shook his head. "Not tonight. I thought I'd start you of small and then let you get a feel for harvesting the glow."

He led them out the garage and through multiple alleys and eventually Shilo got lost. Finally they stopped in alley way full of junkies. Graverobber whistled a tune and the junkies' ears perked up they swarmed him. Shilo watched him inject each junkie with Zydrate.

A scalpel slut started pestering Shilo, but Graverobber gave her a look that clearly said "Mine! Back off."

After about an hour he pulled out an additional zydrate gun along with another glowing glass vial. "Give it a shot, Kid." He whispered.

Shilo took the gun and vial a bit hesitantly, but within minutes she'd found a rhythm. Money. Skin. Spark. Money. Skin. Spark. If they couldn't pay, then they couldn't have the glow.

Eventually the last junkie had gotten a hit. "Nice work, kid." Graverobber said as he led them out of the alley.

"Thanks. Where are we going now?"

"Harvesting."


	9. Harvesting

**Author's note~ **First, I must offer my most sincere apologies for the dreadful delay that I've had between postings. My social life decided to exist this weekend, thus preventing me from being home. Which in turn caused me to not be able to write anything. Second, I want to thank Mistofan, Anime WarriorSkye, and Erakotsu for their kind reviews. And now, without further delay is chapter 9. Enjoy!

* * *

Graverobber led Shilo to a lesser known and barely guarded graveyard. "Watch and learn, kid." He said as he started working on a corpse. Shilo did as she was told, and she learned quickly. He let her try the next one. "Just relax, and take it slow." He instructed.

"Ok." She whispered as she tried to keep her hands from shaking. She jumped a little with the initial shock of seeing the blue liquid pour into the vial.

"You're doing fine, kid." Graverobber said encouragingly. Shilo nodded and after a few more attempts felt her confidence growing. "Kid, you're a natural." He said as he handed her several empty vials. Then he gestured to the rest of the graveyard. "Knock yourself out."

Shilo nodded and was soon working at a steady pace. Graverobber watched her briefly and then turned his attention back to his own work. "Industrialization has crippled the globe." He sang softly to himself as he worked. The singing provided a rhythm for his hands to follow. Occasionally, he would alternate between singing and whistling. Periodically, he would glance up to watch Shilo who seemed to making very good progress.

When he was satisfied that they had done enough harvesting, Graverobber packed up his tools. "Come on, kid. Lets go."

"Where are we going?"

"Home." Graverobber replied. "We've gathered enough Zydrate for the next couple of nights."

"Ok." Shilo said handing him the vial she had just finished collecting.

They walked in silence for a while before Shilo asked "What's your real name?"

"It's not important, kid."

"You said earlier that names are very important." Shilo stated simply.

Graverobber sighed and turned to look at her. "Look, to put it simply, whoever I was before died along with my sister. He doesn't exist anymore. So as far as I'm concerned Graverobber is my name."

Shilo nodded and let the subject drop. They continued walking. Graverobber whistled every so often until his whistling was interrupted by the thud of something hitting the sidewalk behind him. He turned to see Shilo lying face down on the pavement. He knelt down beside her. "Kid, are you alright?" He asked, his voice full of more concern than he had intended express.

Shilo looked up at him her face bloodied and nodded. "Yeah, I think so. But these jeans are way to long for me. I thought rolling the hem up would make it better. Guess, they rolled down."

Graverobber shook his head in amusement and looked down at her feet. The sight he saw made him laugh. Shilo's jeans had been snagged by a jagged piece of metal jetting out from beside a dumpster. Shilo's feet were totally covered by quite a bit of jean material. "Looks like we're going to have to find you an alternative." He said disentangling the jeans from the metal. "Why didn't you tell me the jeans were too long?" He asked as he stood.

Shilo got up and grimaced. "I thought you wouldn't let me come with you, and I didn't want to be by myself." She re-rolled the hems.

He shook his head. "There are ways to fix problems like that."

"Yeah, I just didn't know how."

"Come on, kid. We'd better get you home and cleaned up."

Shilo nodded and followed him home. Once they were back at the apartment, Shilo got cleaned up. After her shower, she went out to the living room to see Graverobber reading a book. He put the book down and motioned her over. "Come here kid, I want to take a look at your face."

That was when Shilo noticed gauze and antiseptic on the coffee table. "I'm ok." She said softly.

He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm not satisfied, and your not getting infected on my watch."

Shilo sighed and sat down next to him. He put some antiseptic on a piece of the gauze and then took hold of Shilo's chin, tilting her head back enough so he could get a better view. "Now, just try and relax. This stuff can burn a little."

Shilo did flinch a little as he dabbed the antiseptic on the first cut. "Ouch." She whispered softly.

"Sorry, kid." He said gently. He worked quickly and before Shilo knew it he was done.

"Thanks."

He nodded. "Get some sleep."

Shilo nodded then went off to her room. Graverobber sat on the couch for what seemed like an eternity. Then he went to the kitchen and grabbed a shot glass and a bottle of alcohol. He made his way to his bedroom, stripped off his clothes, then poured himself a few shots before falling asleep.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, but it couldn't have been very long. Because he hadn't dreamed. Yet awake he was. He had been awakened by an ear splitting scream. He sat up and pulled his pants on trying to figure out where the scream came from. He heard it again, a little softer this time and it came from Shilo's room. He sighed and left his room.

He walked silently down the hall and into Shilo's room. Shilo was tossing and turning about in a fitful sleep. She groaned pitifully. He knew had to do something, he just wasn't exactly sure what. _How exactly am supposed to help her with a dream? _He thought.

_Wake her up, dumbass. _The annoying little voice in his mind taunted.

_No shit, I meant after she wakes up._

_You'll figure it out._

He shook his head and made his way over to Shilo's bed. "Kid?" He said softly.

Nothing.

Shilo's groaning got louder. Graverobber sat on the edge of her bed and gently touched her arm. "Kid, wake up." He said

Shilo swung at some unknown enemy and he was in the way. He tried to move out of her reach but lost his balance and wound up on the floor.

"Shit kid, you're a sound sleeper." He muttered. He decided for a different approach, one that might get him punched, but at least he wouldn't wind up on the floor.

He walked around to the other side of the bed and crawled in next to Shilo. When he was in a comfortable position, he pulled a squirming and whimpering Shilo into his arms. He wrapped his arms securely around her. "Wake up, Kid." He said gently.

The squirming stopped and Shilo looked up at him. "Gravrobber?" She asked groggily.

"Yeah, kid?"

"What are you doing?"

_What's it look I'm doing? _Graverobber thought. "You were having a nightmare."

"So you crawled into bed with me?" Shilo asked with a confused expression that Graverobber found absolutely adorable.

"You were thrashing around and I couldn't get you to wake up any other way." He grinned and let her go.

"Thanks." Shilo said quietly.

He nodded and then stood getting ready to go back to his room. "Not a problem, kid."

"Where are you going?" Shilo asked almost panicked.

He smiled. "Back to bed. You weren't asleep very long."

Shilo looked down at the covers and then back up at him. "Please stay." She pleaded in a small voice.

"You sure about that, kid?"

Shilo nodded. "I've been alone all my life, and… well, I just don't want to be alone anymore."

He smiled and nodded. "Fair enough."

Graverobber climbed back into the bed and stretched out. Shilo snuggled up next to him. He put his arm around her, and she repositioned herself so that her head was resting on his chest. Within minutes Shilo was asleep. Graverobber smiled as he felt her steady, rhythmic breathing. _Careful, you're gonna get in over your head on this one. _That little annoying voice whispered mockingly.

_She needs me. And it's nice to be needed for something other than sex or zydrate._

_How cute. Are you growing a heart again. _The voice mocked.

_So what if I am? Shut up and go away. _

Graverobber stared at the ceiling for a long time before drifting off into a deep and for once dreamless sleep.

* * *

_A/N~ Ok, I hope you enjoyed that. A little teasing of fluff. More fluff will come in time. I am contemplating bringing Carsmacker back soon. Let me know what you think. _


	10. Internal Arguments

**Author's Note~ **Once again I must apologize for my lag between chapters. Life once again interrupted my writing. This chapter is a bit on the short side, but I was instructed by my muse to end it there. Thank you ever so much to Anime WarriorSkye, Mistofan, An Anonymous Soul, MysteryInWonderland, and Aras Potter for your wonderful reviews! They are always and forever appreciated! And now, Chapter 10. Enjoy!

* * *

Graverobber woke to discover moisture on his chest. He looked down to see Shilo's tear soaked lashes. He shook his head. _Poor kid. Must be dreaming again. _He ran his fingers through her short dark hair. She stirred, but remained asleep. He wondered what she was dreaming about, but then figured it was probably her dad. Shilo's arm moved and wrapped around his waist. Suddenly something went off in Graverobber's mind. All of a sudden Shilo was not just a helpless and cute kid. She was special. She pure. No knife had ever touched her skin. He couldn't help himself. He gently kissed the top of her head. And at that moment Shilo Wallace woke up.

She looked up with that oh-so-adorable look of confusion on her face. "Why did you do that?"

He grinned a Cheshire grin and shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea."

Shilo gave him a look that was a mix of disbelief and ok-so-what-else-seems-like-a-good-idea. "Why?"

He laughed. "Kid, I wasn't kidding that night when I told you you're beautiful."

Shilo blinked and then blushed. "I… Umm… Well…" She sat up and tried to get out of the bed. Tried and failed miserably. Graverobber's arm snaked its way around her waist.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"

Shilo squirmed. "The living room." She said plainly. "I need to figure out a way to fix those jeans."

Graverobber laughed and let her get up. "There are scissors in the kitchen." He called after her as she left.

After a few minutes, Graverobber stood and walked out into the living room. Shilo was curled up on the couch muttering angrily at the jeans. And, well he just couldn't help listening. "Stupid Shilo. Very stupid. You always have to ask questions don't you! You've seen what he does with junkies who can't pay. You're staying in his home and not giving him any money. Of course he's going to want something else. Stupid, stupid, stupid."

He stood there listening to Shilo's ranting. She continued getting more and more frustrated. Finally, he couldn't hold the laughter in anymore. Shilo looked up at him in surprise. Her eyes were as big as saucers, and then she started blushing. "How long have you been standing there?"

He grinned and shrugged. "Long enough." He walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. "Listen, Shilo, if you're worried about not paying rent, don't be."

"But." She opened her mouth in protest.

Graverobber held a finger up to silence her. "You're paying your rent by helping me harvest zydrate. And further more, I don't see you as a junkie." _If anything, you're the drug._ He thought.

"Oh." Was all Shilo could manage.

He grinned and stood. "You ready for another night, kid?" Shilo nodded. "Good, we'll leave in about 20 minutes."

That beginning of that night was nearly the same as the night before. They went back to the same alley. Word had gotten out that Graverobber had a friend helping him distribute. So, naturally there were more junkies. Graverobber handed Shilo a supply of the drug and whispered "Have fun."

They worked quickly and soon all the junkies had been serviced. When Shilo was finished, Graverobber came and put an arm around her shoulder. "Come on, kid. Time to pay a visit to the Zydrate Support Network." He said leading her away.

Shilo looked up at him in surprise. "Are you sure? Will it be safe?"

Graverobber threw back his head and laughed. "Kid, nothing about this job is safe."

"So why do you do it?" Shilo asked.

"It's a rush." He said simply.

"Yeah, but why did you start?" Shilo probed.

Graverobber shook his head. "That's a long story."

"Tell me."

"Later." Graverobber promised. "I'll tell you later." When they need their destination, Graverobber turned to Shilo. "Kid, if we get separated keep this in mind. If you see Amber or GeneCops, then don't think, don't look for me, just run. You got it?"

"What if I get lost?"

"Try and find your way back to the first alley we were at tonight. Hop into a dumpster nearby and I _will _find you. Can you do that?"

Shilo nodded. "Yeah."

"Good." He grinned that Cheshire grin. "Now lets get going."

Fortunately, Amber and the GeneCops didn't show up. When they were done, Graverobber walked over to Shilo. "Come on, kid, lets get out of here."

"Where are we going?"

"Home."

"We're not harvesting tonight?" Shilo asked surprised.

He shook his head. "Not tonight. We'll harvest tomorrow."

Shilo nodded and they walked along in silence.

When they reached the apartment, Graverobber shrugged out of his coat and tossed it on the couch. "You hungry kid?"

Shilo nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Graverobber nodded in the direction of the kitchen. "Help yourself to whatever you want. I'm gonna shower."

Shilo scampered off into the kitchen and Graverobber headed for his shower. He breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped into the shower and the hot water began to rinse away his face paint and the grime of the streets. After his shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist. He grinned as he thought about the last time he had been in a towel. The look on Shilo's face had been priceless. _Watch it, Graverobber. You're beginning to fall for the kid._ The annoying little voice in his mind said.

_So what if I do?_

_She'll leave._

_She's got no place else to go._

_That doesn't mean anything. She won't need you forever. _The voice sneered.

_Oh, just shut up. _He thought as he yanked his clothes on with more aggression than really necessary. After drying his hair with a towel, he walked out of his room to go see what Shilo had found to eat.

* * *

_A/N~ I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Chapter 11 is in the works at this very moment. This week is looking to be much less chaotic. Love and Zydrate to all. _


	11. Birthday

**Author's Note: **Ok, so my nice calm week that was going to be mostly devoted to writing, well it just didn't happen. Work unfortunately interfered with my life Every SINGLE NIGHT! Terribly rude of my job don't you think? Anyway, enough of that. Many heartfelt thanks to Mistofan, An Anonymous Soul, Aras Potter, Anime WarriorSkye, SparrowxLight, Dollfacen'pipe, ., Auryn Rei Evroren for their wonderful reviews! Every review makes my day/night brighter. And now, without further delay, a chapter which has been most delightful to write down. Enjoy!

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Graverobber walked into the kitchen to see what Shilo was doing. Only one problem. No Shilo. He shrugged, wolfed down some food, grabbed a bottle of alcohol then headed back to his room.

He stopped outside of Shilo's room when he heard muffled sobs coming from behind her door. He knocked on the and softly called "Kid?"

No reply. He set down the alcohol on the table outside of her door that had once been a stand for a plant. After waiting for a few moments, he knocked on the door again. Yet again, he received only sobs as an answer. _Ok, what the hell am I supposed to do with a sobbing Shilo?_

_You had no problem going into Grace's room when she was crying._

_Yes, well, Gracie was my sister and Shilo is… Well… She's not my sister that's for damn sure._

_Duh._

_She's not like the addicts either. She's pure. She's special. And I think… Well damn… I think I'm in love with her._

_Told you this would happen._

_Yeah, yeah, yeah._

_So what are you going to do about it?_

_Well, I guess we're about to find out aren't we? _He snapped at himself. After ending his inner dialogue, Graverobber knocked on the door a final time and called out softly "Shilo, I'm coming in." He opened the door to find Shilo on the floor with her arms around her knees pulling them towards her chest. Her face was buried in her arms and she was crying her heart out.

"Kid?" He said gently as he walked towards her. He sat down next to Shilo and wrapped his arm around her. "What's wrong, Shilo?" He asked gently.

She hiccupped and shook her head. "It's nothing." She whispered.

Graverobber grinned. "It wouldn't have you this upset if it was nothing."

Shilo looked up at him with watery eyes. "I miss my dad. Today was my birthday. And he always made it feel special, even if it was always in my room. Last year he bought me a new bug book."

_Her birthday! That explains the tears. Grace always enjoyed her birthday._ Graverobber thought to himself. "Shit. Sorry, Shilo. Didn't know it was your birthday today." He said.

Shilo shook her head. "It wouldn't have made any difference."

Graverobber stood and offered his hand. "Come on."

Shilo gave him a questioning look. "Where are we going?" She asked wiping the tears away from her eyes. She stood and took his hand.

"You'll see." He said with a mischievous grin. Shilo nodded and he led her out of the room. He led her to the balcony that overlooked the city and motioned to the loveseat. "Wait here." He instructed.

"Ok." Shilo whispered and sat down.

Graverobber grinned and ducked back inside. _Ok, what do I need? _He thought to himself. _Blankets. Alcohol. Shot glasses. Graham crackers. Chocolate. _He found the items quickly enough. He thought about the many nights he and his sister had enjoyed shots on the balcony. _Time learn how to drink, Shilo._

When he had everything ready, he took them outside. He set the drinks and snacks on the table in front of the loveseat and draped the blanket over Shilo's lap. She gave him an intrigued look and he grinned. "Shilo, happy birthday!" He said with a theatrical bow before pouring two shots and handing one to her. He tossed his drink back with ease.

Shilo looked at her shot glass as if studying it. "Are you sure?" She almost whispered.

Graverobber had to hold back a laugh. "First drink is the hardest, and only for a second."

Shilo took a deep breath and then muttered what sounded like "Here goes nothing." Then she tossed the drink back the way she had seen Graverobber do. She grimaced briefly after swallowing.

Graverobber smirked at her expression which was a mixture of like and disgust. "Ready for another one?"

Shilo shook her head. "Not right now."

He nodded and then sat down next to her. He handed her a graham cracker and poured himself another shot. "Eat the graham cracker, it will keep you from getting a hangover. Never drink on an empty stomach."

"Thanks." Shilo said taking the graham cracker.

They ate and drank in companionable silence. Shilo eventually mustered the courage for two more shots and then decided she'd had enough. Graverobber put his arm around her and stretched his legs out in front of him. Shilo snuggled up next to him and munched on graham crackers and chocolate. Graverobber polished off the bottle of alcohol with ease and then put it down on the ground.

After a long silence, Shilo looked up at Graverobber's face. His eyes were closed and his head was resting on the back of the worn loveseat. "Can I ask you something?" Shilo asked timidly.

Graverobber grinned. "Sure."

"Is your sister the reason you got into the zydrate business?"

Graverobber sighed. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Will you tell me about her?"

Graverobber smiled. "Her name was Grace. She was a lot like you."

"How so?"

He laughed. "She smart, pure and innocent. And she was beautiful. Just like you. Worked for Mag for a few years."

Shilo's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, she was Mag's assistant. I didn't want her to take the job."

Shilo looked confused. "Why not?"

Graverobber moved so he could look Shilo in the eye. "Because Mag worked for GeneCo. And I have never trusted GeneCo or the Largos." He said frankly. Shilo looked at her hands almost regretting the previous question. Graverobber continued. "Grace loved her job. She loved working for Mag. But for some reason, Luigi Largo decided to stab Grace."

"I'm sorry." Shilo whispered.

"Me too. You're dad tried to save her. But the wounds got infected and there was nothing anyone could do after that."

Shilo looked up at him again. Her eyes once again filled with tears. "Really? My dad?"

Graverobber nodded and gently brushed Shilo's tears away with his thumb. "It's ok, Shilo. You wanted to know about my sister and why I got into the zydrate business. And that's why."

Shilo nodded and muttered and whispered something that sounded like "makes sense."

Graverobber cupped Shilo's face in his large hands bent his head down so that his mouth was barely an inch away from Shilo's and whispered huskily "You're beautiful." Then closed the distance and kissed her tenderly.

Shilo wrapped her arms around Graverobber before pulling back to ask "What's your real name?"

He grinned at her in amusement. "You don't give up do you?"

Shilo shook her head and grinned back. "Nope."

He nodded in ascent. "Fair enough, I did just kiss you." He took in a breath then whispered in her ear. "It's Terrance."

* * *

_A/N ~ I hope you enjoyed that bit of fluffiness. And I kinda just disregarded the whole legal-drinking-age thing. I figured with everything else going on in that wacky world, it is highly unlikely that trivial things like that are enforced if even still in existence. Hopefully Chapter 12 will not take as long to finish. Love and Zydrate to all! _


	12. Kisses

**Author's Note- **My dear reader's, congratulations on making it this far. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Thank you to all of my gracious reviewers, Mistofan, SparrowxLight, Anime WarriorSkye, Aras Potter, An Anonymous Soul, Miss-Death-Was-Here, Juggalette Wolfie Kandi Kid. You are all greatly appreciated. And now, here is Chapter 12. Hold on to your hats!

* * *

"Terrance." Shilo said, testing the name. "That's an interesting name."

Graverobber grinned. "It's an old name. My parents liked old names, so that's how my sister and I ended up named Grace and Terrance."

Shilo nodded. "I like it."

Graverobber shook his head. "You and Red are the only two people who know my real name and I would really like to keep it that way."

Shilo grinned. "So I guess calling you Terry is out of the question."

Graverobber scowled "Even Grace knew better than to call me Terry."

Shilo laughed and the sound was practically music to Graverobber's ears. He gripped her chin again and she grinned up at him impishly. "Come here, you." He said before leaning down to kiss her.

Shilo wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him greedily. Graverobber's hand moved from her chin to her back, and with his other hand he pulled Shilo into his lap. Her hands found their way into his knotted hair. _Perfection. _He thought as he teased her mouth open with his tongue. _She tastes like heaven. _

Unfortunately, Shilo chose that moment to yawn. "Sorry." She whispered.

Graverobber laughed and shook his head. "I guess it is getting late." He said. Then, in one fluid movement, he stood, swept Shilo up in his arms and proceeded to carry her into the house. _Gotta get some meat on your bones kid. You are way too damn skinny. _He thought as he carried Shilo back to her bedroom.

Shilo giggled as Graverobber set her down on the bed. Her eyes widened just a bit as he stripped off his shirt. Graverobber grinned but pretended not to notice as he crawled into the large bed next to her. He stretched out on the bed and Shilo snuggled up next to him. He wrapped his arm around her and she laid her head on his chest. "Graverobber…" Shilo whispered.

"Yeah, kid?"

"Thanks."

Graverobber smiled and kissed the top of Shilo's head. "You're welcome." Shilo sighed and was soon sound asleep. Graverobber lay there for a few minutes listening to Shilo's rhythmic breathing. _Don't worry, kid. I'll take care of you. _He thought before drifting off into a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep.

Over the next several weeks this became their routine. Servicing the junkies. Harvesting Zydrate. Then heading back to the apartment for the night. Once back at the apartment they would either read on the couch or have drinks on the balcony. But one way or another, Shilo always wound up in Graverobber's arms and then carried to bed, which is how they would fall asleep. Until one night about 7 weeks later.

As usual, Graverobber had carried her to bed. Except tonight Shilo had something else on her mind. No, on this night, she wanted more than kisses. She stared at Graverobber as he took his shirt. Graverobber grinned at her wickedly. "Kid. You're going to stare a hole through me."

Shilo blushed slightly. "I know… I just… I wanted…" She paused and sat up on the side of the bed.

_Wanted. _That single word had his attention. He cocked his head to the side. He moved so that he was standing in front of her. He smiled. "What is it you wanted?" He asked.

Shilo blushed again and lowered her eyes to her hands. "Well…" She paused and looked boldly up at him. "You." She said quietly.

Graverobber knelt in front of her and placed his hands on either side of her, and then looked into her eyes. "You sure about that, Shilo?" He asked. His voice was thick with desire.

Shilo nodded. "I'm sure." She said moving closer to him. "Please." She breathed.

Graverobber smiled wickedly. That was all the invitation he needed. He leaned in and kissed her ravenously. He started at her mouth and worked his way down to her neck. His hands caressed her legs and then moved beneath her short nightgown. Shilo's hands trailed from his shoulders and down his back to finally begin fumbling with the buckle on his pants.

When they had freed each other from various articles of clothing, Shilo pulled Graverobber onto the bed with her. In a swift fluid motion, he was on top of her. The next instant both of their bodies were entwined in a mass of arms, legs, moans, sighs, bliss, desire, and passion.

Later, that same night in a distant part of the city, in the dark hours just before dawn, rain poured down onto the street. Scalpel sluts and junkies had vanished in an attempt to find cover from downpour. A lone figure wandered down this particular alley, seeming unbothered by the pounding rain. The water soaked into her long tangled curls of fiery red hair that cascaded all the way down her back. The rain on her face made her pale skin seem to glisten as it dripped off long thick lashes and trickled downwards. Tonight she was truly grateful that her apparel generally consisted of boots, leather pants, a halter top, and a leather jacket that ended mid-thigh.

As she walked along, she whistled a tune from a time long forgotten. She hadn't been in town long, only a few hours. And yet, somehow she always felt as though she'd never left. She had concluded the job that had originally brought her here and now she had time on her hands. As she was never keen on being indoors, she decided to go for a walk. Her mind wandered as she walked along, so she never noticed the GeneCop step out of the shadows behind her.

"Freeze!" The command was barked harshly.

She froze. "Shit." She muttered under her breath.

"Raise your hands and turn around."

She did as she was instructed, a smirk plastered across her face. "Can I help you?" She asked with a wink.

A second GeneCop emerged from the shadows. _Sneaky little bastards. _She thought as he moved behind her and roughly cuffed her hands. "What's the idea?" She demanded.

"Miss Sweet, we have her." The original GeneCop said into his communicator.

"Bring her in." was the static reply.

"Hey! I think you've got me confused with someone else." She protested as the GeneCops shoved her down the alley towards a waiting car. They ignored her.

The first Genecop gripped her roughly and attempted to push her into the car. "Hey! Watch the…" It was too late. The bottom of her jaw slammed into the top of the car door. "face." She muttered in annoyance as the GeneCop climbed into the seat across from her and closed the car door. When he was seated, he trained his gun on her. She sighed, rolled her eyes and stared out the window for the ride.

The ride was not very long, but it felt long because of the silence. When the car came to a stop, the GeneCop got out and then yanked her out of the car. That was when she realized where they had taken her. GeneCo glared down at her in big bold letters from the side of the building. "Shit." She whispered.

She followed the GeneCops inside and into an elevator. The elevator doors closed and her dread increased. The ride to the top seemed like an eternity. Her hands were still bound and panic was beginning to set in. When the doors finally opened, she was pushed out into an office and barely managed to keep her balance. She glared at the GeneCops. In front her were the people that she had years ago learned to loathe.

"Well, what do we have here?" The whiny voice of Amber Sweet asked.

"This is the girl known as Red." One of the GeneCops replied.

Amber glared at him in annoyance. "I know. Get the cuffs off of her and get out." She snapped. The GeneCops quickly and silently did as they were told.

Red rubbed her wrists. "Looks like a drowned rat to me." Luigi said from a chair next to Amber's desk. He looked at Red in disgust.

Pavi stood. "Such… beautiful skin." He said in his thick, smooth Italian accent as he brushed his fingers against her face.

She jerked her face away and glared at Amber. "What exactly do you want?" She demanded.

Amber stood. "I want Graverobber and Shilo Wallace. And you are going to help me get them."

Red stared at her with a puzzled expression. "You want me to help you get who? Never heard of either one of them.

"Listen, bitch. I know for a fact that you have at least met Graverobber. He is the key to me getting Shilo."

"And what is so important about this Shilo person?"

"That's none of your concern." Amber snarled. "You just do as you're told."

Red crossed her arms. "What's in it for me?"

"You keep-a your face." Pavi whispered in her ear.

"Look, all I know is that the only time I've ever seen a grave robber was outside your Zydrate support group. I've only been there once though. I don't really associate with junkies."

Amber's face darkened. "You're lying to me."

Red rolled her eyes. "Prove it." Instantly she wished she had kept her mouth shut.

Luigi's knife sliced across Red's jaw line. "Tell my sister where the fuck Graverobber is!" He screamed.

Red's hand flew up to her face and when she looked at her fingers they were covered in blood. She grimaced in pain. "Alright. The alley behind Dosey's market, that's were he hangs out if he isn't at the Zydrate Support center." She gasped.

Amber smiled victoriously. "Get her out of here." She ordered Pavi.

He nodded, took Red by the arm and escorted her into the elevator. On the ride down he looked at Red and said. "You still have a beautiful face."

Red glared at him. "You even think about trying steal my face and I'll slice into shreds before you have time to blink."

Pavi grinned. "A face like that should never be removed from it's-a rightful owner." He said. He had much different place for her and he let her know by kissing her soundly.

The elevator doors opened and he escorted her to the building entrance. "Ciao bella." He whispered as she ran off into the night.

* * *

_A/N ~ Ok, I argued and argued with my muses over this chapter. And as you can probably guess, they won. Yes, Red is back. She and Graverobber would not leave me alone until I brought her back. I hope you enjoyed the fluff. There will be more Grilo fluff, I promise. Chapter 13 is in progress. Love and Zydrate to you all!  
_


	13. Collision Course

**Author's Note- **Greetings, dear readers! Thanks as always to my wonderful reviewers Mistofan, Aras Potter, SparrowxLight, Juggalette Wolfie Kandi Kid, Miss-Death-Was-Here, and Anime WarriorSkye. You are all amazing. And now, for your reading pleasure, I present Chapter 13. Enjoy!

* * *

Red ran until she felt her legs were about to give out. She collapsed next to a dumpster, her breath came in gasps. After a few minutes she caught her breath. She touched her jaw and it stung and throbbed. Blood covered her fingertips. "Damn." She whispered. She then climbed into the dumpster and went to sleep.

The following evening, Graverobber woke to the sight of a very naked Shilo laying next to him. He smiled. _Damn, she's beautiful. _He thought. His fingers trailed down her back. "Wake up, Shilo." He whispered in her ear.

Shilo stirred. "Morning." She muttered sleepily.

He kissed her. "Time to go." He said brushing her hair away from her face.

She smiled. "Ok."

They both reluctantly climbed out of bed and proceeded to get dressed. Half an hour later they were headed for the alley behind Dosey's Market.

They waited in the shadows of the alley for the arrival of the junkies. Graverobber's arm was draped around Shilo as he whispered in her ear "Remember Kid, you see Amber or the GeneCops, you run like hell."

Shilo nodded and grinned. "You tell me that every time."

He kissed her "That's because I want you to remember." He smirked.

The junkies began filtering into the alley. Graverobber and Shilo stepped out of the shadows and Graverobber called out "Zydrate comes in a little glass vial."

The junkies and scalpel sluts turned almost unanimously and flocked towards them. They had gotten used to the idea of his new partner. None of them so much as thought of messing with Shilo. Graverobber had made it very clear that Shilo was his and under his protection.

The dealings were going well until someone yelled. "GeneCops! Scatter!" Then mass hysteria took over. Shilo spotted the GeneCops and took off in an opposite direction. Graverobber saw her running and sprinted off as well.

Amber stormed into the alley. "Where the hell are they!" She demanded. Genecops tore the alley apart. Eventually they reported the fact that Shilo and Graverobber had escaped. "DAMN IT!" She screamed before stomping off.

Red was wandering down an alley when seemingly out of no where someone collided with her, knocking them both to the ground. Red growled in frustration. "Watch where you're going." She muttered.

"Sorry." The other person muttered.

That was when Red took a closer look at the girl with the brown and purple hair. "Kid?" She asked in surprise.

Shilo looked up from brushing off her clothes. "Hi, Red." She smiled.

Red shook her head. "Where were you going in such a hurry?"

Shilo frowned. "GeneCops and Amber showed up in the alley."

"What were you doing there by yourself?"

"I wasn't by myself. I was with Graverobber."

Red's look was a mixture of concern and confusion. "Why aren't you with him now? They didn't catch him did they?"

Shilo shook her head. "I don't think so. He told me that if GeneCops or Amber ever showed up to just take off running. So I did. And I think I'm lost."

Red smiled. "You may be lost, Kid. But I'm not."

"Neither am I." A voice said from behind Red.

"Hello, Gravedigger." Red smirked as she turned to look at him.

Shilo rushed over to him and he wrapped his arms around her. "Carsmacker." He winked and then looked at Shilo. "You ok, Kid?"

"Yeah. How'd you catch up with me so fast?" Shilo asked.

Graverobber shrugged. "I know these streets backwards and forwards. Come on, let's go back to the apartment." He looked at Red. "You coming?"

She shook her head. "Probably not a good idea." She said softly turning to walk the other way.

Graverobber grabbed her arm. "Red."

She stiffened, but refused to turn and look at him. "Look, it's just better if I'm not around you right now."

He stepped closer to her. "Red, what the hell aren't you telling me." He asked before grasping her chin with his hand. She yelped in pain and turned her face up towards him so he could see the slice across her jaw line. "Shit, Red. What the hell happened to you?"

Red grimaced and closed her eyes in a vain attempt to block angry tears. "The Largo's happened." She growled.

Shilo gasped and Graverobber pulled her close to him. "Why were they after you?" He demanded.

"They weren't after me." Red replied. "Amber is after you, more specifically, she's after her." She said nodding at Shilo.

Shilo wrapped her arm around Graverobber's waist. "What the hell does Amber want with her?"

Red shook her head. "I don't know. She didn't say. But somehow she found out that I know you and she figured you would be able to lead her to Shilo."

"I already turned down GeneCo." Shilo said quietly.

Graverobber squeezed her arm. "So you told her where to find me?" He demanded from Red.

Red nodded. "Your two main hangouts, yes. What was I supposed to do? I had to give her something. You would have done the same thing."

Graverobber sighed, she was right. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up, and we'll figure out what to do."

Red shook her head. "No, I should go. If they see me with you, they'll…"

Graverobber cut her off "Fiona…" He growled. "That cut is going to get infected. You're coming with us and we'll figure things out at the apartment."

Red sighed in surender. "Fine." She said and began following Graverobber and Shilo back to the apartment. Graverobber was careful to make sure they weren't followed. The walk back was quiet one. Once they were safely inside, Graverobber locked the door. He turned to Shilo and inspected her. "You ok, Shilo?" He asked with concer,

Shilo nodded. "I'm fine, just a little dirty." She said with a smile. "Are you ok?"

He nodded. "Go get cleaned up." He said giving her a soft kiss before she ran off.

Red watched them in silence. When Shilo was out of the room, Graverobber turned his attention back to her. "Sit down on the couch." He ordered. "I'll be back in a minute." She sat and watched him angrily make his way to the bedroom.

Graverobber rummaged through the medicine cabinet for the supplies to clean Red's face. His emotions were in turmoil. He was furious at the Largo's. He didn't blame Red one bit. She was right, he probably would have done the same thing. But Shilo had been put in danger, and that was just unacceptable. He walked back into the living room. Red was still there looking absolutely miserable.

He sat down on the couch next to her. He pour antiseptic on the wash cloth and tilted her chin up. "Hold still." He said gently as he began cleaning the cut.

Red flinched and sucked in a breath. "Why is it that you're antiseptic shit always hurts like hell?"

He grinned. "You'd be complaining more if that cut got infected."

She laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Tell me what happened. How did Amber get her hand on you?"

Red snorted. "Fuckin' GeneCops ambushed me last night. Took me to the GeneCo offices. All three of them were there. Amber started demanding to know where to find you. I told her I didn't associate with you and that I'd only seen you outside the Zydrate support center."

"At least you tried to lie." He grinned.

"Yeah, tried and failed miserably. Anyway, she knew I was lying, and she called me on it. Well, I told her to prove it, and that's when Luigi sliced me across the jaw."

Graverobber growled. "Bastard."

Red smiled. "Couldn't agree more. I told her about Dosey's, and hoped that would be enough. Apparently it was because she had Pavi escort me out the building. And I'm not sure he wants to be done with me." She said bitterly.

Graverobber gave her a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

Red sighed. "He kissed me."

Graverobber laughed. "He kisses everything that he can get close enough to kiss."

Red shook her head. "He told me that a face like mine shouldn't be removed from his rightful owner."

"You always did have a way of attracting freaks." Graverobber teased.

"Yeah, it attracted you." She grinned. "Hey Shilo. Have a seat." She said standing and moving to the overstuffed chair across from the couch.

Shilo smiled and hurried over to claim her seat next to Graverobber. "Hey." She said quietly. "What did I miss."

Graverobber hugged her. "Not much. Red was just telling me what happened last night at GeneCo."

"I don't understand why Amber wants me." Shilo protested.

"If I had to guess." Red said. "I'd say Rotti probably signed GeneCo over to you anyway, regardless. Because he'd rather you have it than his kids."

"But I don't want it." Shilo protested.

Graverobber kissed the top of her head. "Doesn't matter. If Amber sees you as competition, then its trouble."

"Don't worry, kid. We'll think of something." Red said quietly. Little did she know that she was right about the will. She was also on the mind of a certain face-stealing Largo.

* * *

_A/N ~ I do sincerely apologize for the lack of fluff in this chapter. There will be more Grilo fluff in the near future. Love and zydrate!_


	14. Planning and Pouting

**Author's note~ **_My dear readers, I must apologize for the dreadful delay. The only explanation I have is that a handsome fella has been wooing me lately. And consequently, has had me totally distracted. Thank you as always to my wonderful reviewers! _Mistofan, Anime WarriorSkye, Juggalette Wolfie Kandi Kid, Aras Potter, Dollfacen'pipe, SparrowxLight, Gryffindor'sSlytherinPrincess, Somnio Sophia, and Miss-Death-Was-Here, _you are all fabulous_! _And now, I am pleased to present chapter 14!

* * *

_Pavi paced his balcony. For some strange reason he could not get the beautiful, if not strange redhead out of his mind. "Bella, bella." He murmured. His sister wanted to control the girl. Luigi didn't care what happened to her. Pavi on the other hand, he wanted her for himself. It wasn't just her face, which was indeed beautiful. He could strangle his brother for slicing such perfect skin.

What he couldn't make sense of was why he was so smitten with her. He could have any GenTern that he wanted. Hell, he could have any female that wanted. Except her. She had flat out refused him. Maybe that was what made her so desirable. She was the one he couldn't have. Forbidden fruit. He smiled at the thought.

He walked over to his mirror and stared at his current face. Who had he stolen it from? He couldn't remember. He couldn't even remember why he had stolen it in the first place. Something about had been attractive to him. Was it his face that had been the reason the redhead refused him? Did it matter?

He resumed his pacing of the balcony. For years he had played the fool. He had let Amber and Luigi walk all over him. And frankly he was tired of it. He knew more about the inner workings of GeneCo than either of them. Why? Because when he been acting like a fool, he had also been paying attention. GeneCo would be his. One way or another. And if he had his way, he'd have the redhead too.

* * *

Graverobber, Red, and Shilo talked for a long time. Shilo fell asleep against Graverobber's chest. Jealousy flamed at the back of Red's mind. But she pushed it away, choosing instead to have a little bit of fun with Graverobber. "So, when did this happened?" She questioningly teased.

He grinned. "Not long after you left. A little jealous, Red?"

"Am I that easy to read?" She smirked.

He shook his. "I knew I was fighting a losing battle with you. Shilo is… well, she's happy staying here."

Red smiled in understanding. "Don't worry; I have no intentions of causing any more trouble than I already have."

Shilo squirmed and shifted in Graverobber's arms. He grinned down at her. "I should put her to bed." He said softly.

Red nodded. "Probably."

Graverobber stood and picked Shilo up. "I'll be back in a minute."

Red nodded flames of jealousy licked at the back of her mind. _Well damn. _She thought. _I guess I was more attached to him than I thought._ She stood and paced the room, as though trying to make up her mind whether to stay or go.

A few minutes later, Graverobber came back. "Going somewhere, Red?" He asked.

She turned and grinned. "The thought had crossed my mind."

He shook his head and gestured to the chair she had been occupying earlier. "Sit down."

Red looked at the chair for moment, and then reluctantly sat down. "What am I gonna do?" She muttered as she studied a scratch on one of her boots.

"What are we gonna do?" He corrected.

She looked up him, and he was smiling. She shook her head. "I can't stay here. Not now that the Largo's know that I know you. It's too dangerous."

"We'll think of something." Graverobber insisted.

Red nodded and then they sat in silence. After a few moments she looked up at her friend; mischief sparkled in her emerald green eyes. "I have an idea." She said. "But I have a feeling you're not gonna like it."

He grinned at her. "I have a feeling I'm gonna hate it."

"What if I told you I had figured out a way to bring GeneCo tumbling down?"

"I'm listening."

"It'll also give you your revenge on Luigi." Red said.

"Tell me more."

* * *

Amber screamed in rage as she stormed around her office. "I almost had that Wallace bitch!" She threw a glass at the wall.

Luigi sat in a chair toying with his knife. Every time his sister didn't get her way, he was the one who had to listen to her bitch-fest. Every. Single. Fucking. TIME! And it was getting on his nerves. "Amber, please." He pleaded. He had a headache and he really didn't feel like dealing with his bratty baby sister tonight.

"I want her dead, Luigi!" She whined. "Or least out of the picture. Is that too much to ask?" She demanded petulantly.

Luigi stood. He had had just about all of his sister that he was going to take for one night. "You know where she'll be. So the GeneCops will get her eventually." He said as he headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Amber whined.

"To bed!" Luigi snapped. "It's not like I can do anything tonight anyway."

"Luigi." Amber whimpered like a spoiled child. "Don't go."

Luigi ignored her and left anyway. Slamming the door behind him. Amber threw herself into her chair in a huff. "It's not fair!" She griped to no one in particular.

Luigi stormed his way to his suite of rooms and slammed the door. "Luigi this. Luigi that." He grumbled mocking Amber's voice. "I want this. I want that. Well, what about me?" He yelled at the ceiling. He flopped down onto his couch and poured himself a glass of scotch. "Stupid, fucking, Amber." He grumbled as he attempted to get very drunk, very quickly.

* * *

Graverobber looked at Red in disbelief. "That is the most insane, and reckless plan you have ever come up with."

"It'll work." Red insisted.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Don't be so melodramatic. It's a good plan. Practically fool proof."

"And what is your plan 'B' should this plan go south?" He demanded.

"I'll cross that bridge if I come to it." She replied calmly. "This plan will work."

Graverobber shook his head. "No, it's one of the craziest things I've ever heard."

Red stood defiantly. "Look, one way or another, I am going through with this plan. It'd be a hell of a lot easier if you helped me though."

He sighed. "Fine. Do you have a plan for getting in?"

Red grinned a wicked little grin. "Oh that part will be easy. As easy as breathing."

Graverobber smiled. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

"Of course I'll be careful. This is the best plan I've ever come up with. No way am I gonna let anything mess it up." She said matter-of-factly.

"When are you planning on putting this plan into action?"

"Tomorrow night." She glanced at the clock to see it was after 4:00 in the morning. "Or I guess I should say tonight."

Graverobber grinned. "Better rest up then ." He said as he stood.

"Of course. Wouldn't want to be tired." She mused.

They said goodnight and went to their separate bedrooms. Graverobber stripped out of his shirt and got in bed next to Shilo. She scooted close and curled up next to him. "Is everything ok?" She mumbled sleepily as he wrapped his strong arms around her.

He kissed her cheek and smiled. "Everything's gonna be fine." He said quietly. A few minutes later they were both sound asleep.

Red paced the room. She had never liked sleeping in a room by herself. It made her nervous. Not to mention, Graverobber was right. Her plan was dangerous, reckless, and there was the distinct possibility she would get caught or killed. But it didn't matter. She was going through with it, and that was that.

That evening, Graverobber and Shilo woke up to find Red was gone. As usual, she had left a note.

_Sorry to leave so quickly. I had a few things to take care of before I put this plan into action. Don't worry, I'll be in touch with you as soon as I can. Be careful._

_Red_

Shilo stared at the note with a confused expression. "What plan is she talking about?"

Graverobber tugged her down on the couch next to him. "We're going to take down GeneCo, more specifically the Largo's."

Shilo's eyes lit up. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"How?"

Graverobber grinned. "Red has a plan. You interested?"

_A/N~ regretfully this chapter was also lacking in Grilo fluff. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Love and zydrate to all!_


	15. Agreements

**Author's Note: **I profusely apologize to all my readers for this dreadful delay. Work, moving and a recent addiction to True Blood, has put a cramp in my writing time. A huge thank you! to all of my reviewer's. _** Miss Death Was Here, Mistofan, Gryffindor'sSlytherinPrincess, Anime WarriorSkye, Aras Potter, SparrowxLight, Juggalette Wolfie Kandi Kid, Auryen Rei Evroren, and Dollfacen'Pipe**_ you are all amazing and greatly appreciated. I also apologize for the shortness of this chapter. But I needed to post something to let you know that I haven't, as Aras put it, fallen off the map. So here it is. Enjoy the short but interesting chapter 15.**  


* * *

**Shilo stared at Graverobber. Her expression was mix of disbelief and excitement. "And you're seriously going through with this plan?" She asked.

Graverobber tried and failed to hold back a grin at her expression. "Yeah, kid, that's the plan."

"And you want me to help?"

"Only if _you _want to. I'm not gonna force you into anything, Shilo." Graverobber said gently.

Shilo studied her hands for a moment before answering. "If the Largo's are going down, then I want in on it." She said quietly still focusing on her hands.

Graverobber took hold of her chin and forced her gaze to meet his. "Shilo, are you sure?" He asked.

"I'm sure." Shilo replied.

Graverobber studied her expression. It was blend of defiance and determination. "Good." He said gently. He kissed her softly and then pulled her into his lap. She leaned in for another kiss and he obliged. He began at her mouth, and then worked his way along her jaw line to her neck. His hands roamed her back and eventually found their way underneath her shirt.

Shilo shivered at the intensity of his kisses and toyed with his hair. "Please." She murmured.

He looked up at her, his eyes radiating with desire. "Please, what?" He asked mischievously, allowing one hand to slide from her back to her upper thigh.

"Graverobber." She breathed. "Bedroom. Please." She begged. Her mind so fogged with desire she wasn't able to form sentences.

He kissed her again, then stood and carried her to the bedroom.

Pavi lounged on his balcony watching the world go by below him. At first he was bored. It was all scalpel sluts and druggies. Lowly subjects in his family's empire. And then an argument caught his attention. Much to his surprise, it was the redhead.

"You have got to be kidding!" She shouted at the man standing next to her.

"You got something against my credits?" The man answered back.

"Bella." Pavi whispered before rushing out of his rooms. He could hardly believe his luck.

"No, you're credits are fine, it's the amount of them that has me pissed off, or should I say the lack of them."

"I'm giving you a fair price."

"Oh come on! It's worth at least twice that."

The man snorted. "Don't kid yourself. Your work isn't that good."

She glared at him and then turned to leave. "Fine." She muttered "See ya around."

"Wait." He grabbed her arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

"If you won't pay my price, then I'll find someone who will." She smiled as she tried to pull her arm away from him.

He pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear. "The freak with the face just came out of GeneCo. He's coming this way. You sure you're up for this?"

She grinned at him. "I'm sure."

"Be careful, kiddo."

She pushed herself away from him. "Thought that might change your tune." She smirked.

He glowered at her and shoved credits into her hand. Then turned and stalked off. He muttered something sounding like "Crazy bitch." under his breath.

"Pleasure doing business with you." She called after him as she counted the credits. When she was done she put them in a zipper pocket of her black leather pants.

"Bella." A voice said from behind her.

Red froze and didn't reply. She simply stood there and waited for him to approach. _Relax, red, just relax and go along with him. Remember it's all part of the plan. _She told herself. She forced her body to relax as she listened to his footsteps bring him close.

When he was standing directly behind her, Pavi turned her to face. Her green eyes sparked with mischief. He brought his lips briefly to hers, then pulled away smiling. "Hello, Bella."

She grinned. "Mr. Largo. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I have a proposition for-a you." He replied.

"I think you might have me confused with someone else."

He shook his head. "No, Bella. I know what I am doing."

She quirked an eyebrow. "So what is this proposition?"

Pavi leaned in and whispered "I want-a your help to annoy my sister."

Red gave a soft laugh. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

He smiled, if you could call it a smile. "You will become my-a consort."

"And what exactly does that entail?"

"I think you-a already know."

She grinned. "Just making sure."

He wrapped his arm around her. "Come Bella. You will-a be well taken care of." He said leading her towards GeneCo. "Do you agree to this arrangement?"

She nodded. "I agree. But just one thing."

"And what is that?"

"Everyone calls me Red."

"And that is what you would-a prefer I call you?" Pavi asked.

Red nodded. "Yeah, that's my condition."

He nodded. "I think I can-a handle that."

And with that matter cleared up, Red allowed Pavi to lead her into GeneCo.


	16. Pacings

**Author's Note: **EEEPS! Wow it has been way too long since updates and I profusely apologize. I just got distracted. I have not fallen off the map or given up on this story. My muse has returned in full force and so I should have more regular updates. Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers, you know who you are. Enjoy!

* * *

"Quit pacing." Shilo said quietly. "You're making me nervous."

Graverobber stopped and looked at her. She was curled up with a book on the couch. "Red should have made contact by now."

Shilo looked up at him. "She probably just hasn't been able to sneak away yet."

"That girl can sneak out of any situation. And it's been four days." He punched the wall in frustration and swore under his breath.

Shilo giggled but quickly stopped when Graverobber glared at her. She stood up and walked over to him. "She knows what she's doing." She said quietly.

Graverobber sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "I know she does. That's the problem."

Shilo rested her head against his chest. "This will work." She said softly.

_It has to work._ Graverobber thought.

* * *

Red paced in front of the large window of her new living quarters. She was getting anxious. Four days had passed and Pavi had hardly let her out of his sight. From the minute she had agreed to be his consort he'd made it his mission to turn her into something he viewed as "worthy". She had gone along with it until he'd wanted to cut her hair. _"Forget it Pavi. They can straighten it, pull it up into whatever style you like, but there are two things I won't stand for. I won't let them dye it, and I sure as hell won't allow them to cut it."_

"_But my dear…" Pavi had protested. "A style just above-a the shoulders."_

_She shook her head belligerently. "No, forget it."_

_He sighed and eventually acquiesced._

Red stopped pacing. The floor-length green silk dressing gown swished around her ankles. She sighed and looked down at her carefully manicured nails. Pavi had stated that he preferred his women to have soft and delicate hands. She looked out at the city below and wondered how Graverobber and Shilo were doing. She jumped slightly when she felt hands on her shoulders. Pavi.

"Awake at this hour." He whispered in her ear. "Is-a something troubling you?"

Red shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just not used to having a permanent residence."

Pavi smiled and kissed the back of her neck. "Come back to bed my dear."

Red suppressed the sense of hopelessness in the pit of her stomach. It had seemed like a good plan, but now she was on the verge of panic. She had to get word to Graverobber, and soon. She followed Pavi back to bed and tried in vain to force her mind to shut down for the night.

* * *

Graverobber gazed at Shilo as she slept. Her legs were draped over his and she was clutching the book she had been reading. His lips curved up in a grin. A mere 45 minutes ago he had been pacing and about to climb the walls. But a few kisses from her had settled his frayed nerves. _How do you do that, kid? _He wondered to himself before drifting off to sleep.

A while later he awoke to the sound of Shilo's soft whimpers. He gently pulled her into his lap and kissed her forehead. "Wake up, Shilo. You're safe now." He whispered in her ear.

Shilo wrapped her arms around him and hiccupped back a sob. "Thanks." She murmured sleepily.

He grinned as she snuggled in close to him. "Any time." He whispered. Within minutes he was once again sound asleep.

* * *

Red lay still in the darkness staring up at the ceiling. Try as she might, she unable to quiet her mind enough to allow sleep to take over. She looked over at Pavi sleeping next to her, his breathing deep and steady. That first night she had been surprised at how easy it was to block out the fact she was crawling into bed with Pavi Largo. She sighed and wondered how it was possible for him to sleep so soundly.

She sighed and glanced at the clock. It was only 5:30am. She quietly slipped out of bed went to sit in the plush recliner that faced the windows. _I have got to contact Graverobber and the Kid. _She thought. _But how? _She sat thinking for a few minutes and the answer hit her. She remembered that Pavi had said that he would be in meetings all afternoon and well into the evening. It would be the perfect excuse for her to go wander around outside. She would make some excuse to Pavi about feeling caged staying inside all the time. Hell, he could put some sort of tracking device on her, she didn't care. Her opportunity had just presented itself. She grinned and sent a quick text message off to Graverobber.

_Z. S. Net 5p DNR_

She smiled as she sent the message and then deleted it. _Yes, this would work nicely._

* * *

Graverobber jolted awake at the sound of his phone going off. "Who the hell?" He muttered as he grabbed the phone and silenced it. "Red. It's about damn time." He grinned as he read the message.

_Z. S. Net 5p DNR_

"What is it?" Shilo asked sleepily.

"It's Red. She sent a message."

"I told you she would. What does it say?"

Graverobber gave her a quick kiss and replied "Of course you did. It says Zydrate Support Network at 5:00pm. Do Not Reply."

Shilo smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me. Now you can quit worrying ."

"Come here." Graverobber growled playful as he pulled her into his lap. _Good girl, Red. _He thought before turning his attention back to Shilo who was squirming with giggles in his arms.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I also apologize for the shortness of this chapter. The next one will be longer. Love and zydrate to all!


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